Summary

• The earliest historical records show that between the 11th and 16th centuries, churches played the primary role in collecting money to spend on the poor and for caring for the poor. As of the 17th century, and with the introduction of the Poor Law of 1601, more organised institutional control at local government level began to take shape as poverty began to be seen as a social problem in need of organisation and redress. In the early 20th century, religious philanthropy reached its apogee with the proliferation of Christian social activism and social care work. But as the demands of industrialisation and pauperisation increased, the church found itself shrinking in resources and membership. By the end of the Second World War, Archbishop William Temple led the way in arguing that the British state was a Christian state and responsibility for social welfare was handed over to a secular administration that would be better able to respond to the needs of the British population.

• Some of the most significant political leaders and social reformers of Britain, from William Gladstone to William Beveridge to Tony Blair, have been driven or in part inspired by their religious faith. Key milestones in British social policy history such as mass education and ragged schools (which were specifically for children from poor backgrounds), the University Settlement movement and the Charity Organisation Society have grappled with the place of religion in public life. Christianity has thus played a central role in the shaping of British national identity. Today, it may be said that church and state have come full circle in Britain, and once again the church is being called on to fill the gaps in welfare provision.

• The changing religious and ethnic profile of the UK since the 1950s has increased the diversity of religious welfare provision, with a growing number of non-Christian faith groups engaging with government in public service provision, although the Jewish population has had a much older history in Britain.